Brandt

Kieschnick

Career Statistics &dtrif;&rtrif;

Bio

A former standout as a member of the Bearkat Golf Team (1995-1999), Head Coach Brandt Kieschnick took over the SHSU Golf Program on August 1, 2012 and has brought the winning tradition to the program.

In his six years at Sam Houston State University, Coach Kieschnick has led the Bearkat Women’s Team to 11- Tournament Titles, 15 – Individual Titles, 19- All-Southland Conference Selections, 2- Southland Conference Player of the Year awards, and 2- Southland Conference Student-Athlete-of-the-Year Awards

Kieschnick helped guide the team to a school record national ranking in his 1st year as Coach and the Women started the year 130th in Golfstat ranking and finished the season 87th, the highest in ever at SHSU. Like the Bearkat men, the women’s team collected two first place team championships on back-to-back weeks at the UALR Women’s Golf Classic and HBU Intercollegiate. Along with their wins, they compiled three second place team finishes at ORU Intercollegiate, UAB Fall Beach Bash, and Southland Conference Championships. To go with the team runner-up finish at the conference championship, senior Shelby Hardy carded a Southland 54-hole total of 212 (4 under) to take Medalist honors. Shelby Hardy won three events her senior year (ORU Intercollegiate, UAB Beach Bash, Southland Conference) to finish her career with five victories, an SHSU women’s record and claimed 2013 Southland Conference Student-Athlete of the Year Award. Freshman Nicole Budnik earned second-team Southland Conference honors.

In the 2017-18 Season, helped to guide the Women to 1 win, Bearkat Women’s Invitational, and 7 top 3 Team finishes including 3rd at Southland Conference Championship. The Bearkats recorded a Team Scoring Average -300, 2nd lowest in school history. Also, helped guide individual victories of Hanna Alberto- 3 wins and a school record low 72.73 scoring average and Jenna Phillips- 1 win. Hanna Alberto would take the Southland Conference Player of the Year Award, Southland Conference Student-Athlete of the Year and 1st Team All-Southland Conference while Jenna Phillips was named to 2nd Team All-Southland Conference Team.

During the 2016-17 Season, helped lead the women to SHSU Season Record of 5 Team wins (Hobble Creek Classic, Bearkat Invitational, Islander Classic, Vaquerro Invitational, & Huskie Intercollegiate) and SHSU Record Team Scoring Average – 300 for the year. The Bearkats finished 3rd at Southland Conference Championship 4 shots back of eventual Winner. Heather Shake carded 2 wins and Gianti Mahardhika claimed 1 victory and set the SHSU Women’s 54 Hole Scoring Record, 208 (-5). Hanna Alberto was named 1st Team All-Southland Conference, Heather Shake to the 2nd Team All-Southland Conference and Gianti Mahardhika was names Southland Conference Newcomer of the Year.

In the 2015-16 Season, helped the Bearkats claim 2 team wins (ORU Bob Hurley Shootout, Texas State All-There Challenge) and 4th place finish at the Southland Conference Championship. Led newcomer, Heather Shake to 2 wins and 1st Team All-Southland Conference Team and Newcomer of the year as well as Senior, Nicole Budnik to 1 win and 2nd Team All-Southland Conference.

During the 2014-15 Season, the Bearkast claimed 1 regular season title (ORU Bob Hurley Shootout) and 3 Runner-up finishes for the Season along with a 5th at Southland Conference Championship. Paige Nelson, Alisa White, and Sarah Black each claimed their 1st individual victory during the season. The trio claimed All-Southland Conference honors with Paige Nelson selected to 1st Team, Alisa White named to 2nd Team, and Sarah Black selected Honorable Mention.

In 2013-14, helped guide the Bearkats to 1 Regular Season win (Harold Funston Invite) and claimed 4th at Southland Conference Championship. Alisa White was named 1st Team All-Southland Conference Championship and Newcomer of the Year.

In the 2012-13 Season, helped lead the Bearkat to 2 Team Wins (UALR Collegiate, Huskie Invitational) and 2 Team Runner-up finishes including 2nd at Southland Conference Championship. Shelby Hardy claimed 3 victories and season-ending Southland Conference Championship by firing, SHSU School Record, 212 (-4) and was named Southland Conference Player of the Year, 1st Team All-Southland Conference and Southland Conference Student-Athlete of the year. Nicole Budnik was named to 2nd Team All-Southland Conference.

Prior to returning to his alma mater, Kieschnick played professional golf from 1999-2003 competing on the Adams Tight Lies Tour, Hooters Tour, Teardrop Tour, and Prairie Tour. In 1999, Kieschnick claimed the season-ending Prairie Tour Championship in Alvamar, Kansas. He recorded several top-10 finishes on the professional circuit including a third place finish in his first pro event at the 1999 Adams Tight Lies Tour event at Weston Lakes. He participated in three PGA Tour Qualifying School advancing to second stage in 2001 and followed the Monday qualifiers on both PGA Tour and Web.com Tour.

After professional golf, Brandt became the Assistant Golf Coach at Sam Houston State University from 2003-2005 where he led the women’s team to three team victories and their first Southland Conference Championship in 2004. Kieschnick coached two conference medalists in same year with women’s golfer Raman Saran claiming the 2004 Southland Conference tournament medalist and men’s golfer Robert Jefferson winning the 2004 Southland Conference tournament medalist, beating Chris Stroud in a playoff.

From 2005-2012, Brandt became the Assistant Golf Professional at Whispering Pines Golf Club, the No. 1 Golf Club in Texas. During his tenure he became a PGA Member and managed the golf operation, taught lessons and junior golf, hired and trained staff, and conducted tournaments.

As a Southern Texas PGA member, Kieschnick continued to compete in tournaments at a high level and became one of the top playing PGA Professionals. In 2006 and 2010, Brandt qualified for the PGA National Assistant’s Championship conducted at PGA Golf Club in Florida. Kieschnick qualified for the 2011 National Club Professional Championship and competed at Hershey C.C. in Hershey, Penn. As the PGA of America’s premier event, the tournament was televised on the Golf Channel. In 2010, Brandt won the 2010 STPGA Match-Play Championship, a STPGA Major event, and competed in the 2007, 2009, 2011 Texas State Open. 2010 and 2011 saw Brandt finish the season in top-10 STPGA Playing Points List.

As a Bearkat Golfer, Kieschnick ranks second at SHSU with five career tournament victories including three wins his senior season (‘99 Southland Championship Co-Medalist, 1998 Baylor Invitational, and 1998 SFA Crown Classic). Along with his 1999 Southland Conference Individual medalist title and he was Southland Conference individual runner-up in 1996 and 1997.

Kieschnick holds a school record for being the only two-time Southland Conference “Player of the Year” in 1997 and 1999 as well as being the only two-time Division-1 NCAA Regional individual selection. Kieschnick competed at the NCAA Central Regional hosted by University of Oklahoma at the Jimmie Austin Golf Club in 1997 and at the NCAA Central Region hosted by Ohio State at the OSU Scarlet Course in 1999.

Keischnick is one of only three men’s golfers in Sam Houston history to earn All-Southland honors each of his four years of competition (1996-1999) with a school record of three first-team selections (1996, 1997, 1999) and one second-team selection (1998).

Kieschnick led the SHSU team with a 73.4 stroke average in 1997 and a 73.6 in 1999. He is tied for the school record low 54-hole tournament score of 206 (-10 under) (1998 Rice Intercollegiate).

In 2008, Brandt Kieschnick was inducted into the Sam Houston Lettermen's Hall of Honor.

The Bay City product claimed the 1994 Texas Class-4A State individual championship as a junior and almost went back-to-back after tying for first in 1995 Texas Class-4A State individual championship before losing a playoff to Mark McEntire, now the head men’s golf coach at College of Charleston. After graduating high school in 1995, Kieschnick qualified for the Texas State Open, a professional event, and made the cut as an amateur. Later that summer, he won the local Houston qualifying and made it to the “Centennial” 1995 U.S Amateur Championship in Newport, Rhode Island where he was paired with Tiger Woods the first two rounds.

Personal InformationKieschnick graduated from SHSU in 1999 earning a degree in history with a minor in business. He resides in Huntsville with his wife, Stephenie (SHSU Class of 2002), and two boys, Paxton and Preston.